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Oxford, 19 March 2004 – Two prominent players in the UK business aviation market announced today the establishment of new sales and support operations at Oxford Airport.
NAC Aviation, the UK distributor of Beech and Hawker aircraft and owned by southern Africa’s pre-eminent general aviation network, National Airways Corp., has relocated from Farnborough. The move to Oxford will afford the company with the ability to offer turn-key management packages to buyers of new and used Raytheon products including hangarage and in due course the possibility of charter operations.
Raytheon Aircraft Services at Chester (Hawarden) had wished to establish a feeder Service Centre in the southern part of the UK for some time and have settled upon the location of a Hawker Service Centre at Oxford after reviewing a number of options. Now offering for the first time an OEM-owned and operated service centre within London’s catchment area, Raytheon can satisfy a broader client base for Hawker and Beechjet operators who may prefer a southern UK port to their main facility, the original home of Hawkers at Chester (Hawarden).
Oxford Airport MD, Steve Jones commented “following the changes instigated within 2003, in particular the recent runway extension; Oxford has become a very attractive alternative base to some of the more costly traditional London alternatives. We have great advantages in terms of ease of operations and fewer of the typical constraints on hours of operation, capacity or noise issues.”
Peter Griffith, MD of NAC Aviation commented “having assessed a number of southern UK airfields, Oxford offered the best package of value, flexibility, ease of access and location with a growing community of similar businesses in aircraft sales, engineering and charter services. Apart from the inherent value for money, it is the synergies with these other like-minded businesses that made Oxford the most appropriate choice.”
Notes to Editors:
Raytheon Aircraft Services
Raytheon Aircraft Services Limited (RASL) at Hawarden Airport, Broughton, in North Wales, specialises in the maintenance, modification and repair of all series of the Hawker aircraft family including the newly branded Hawker 400XP / Beechjet 400A. The facility will also be equipped to offer servicing and repairs to Raytheon's new generation business jet, the Hawker Horizon. As the original home of the Hawker (125) production, RASL arguably has greater knowledge and experience on type of any support facility in the world. The new Oxford facility will benefit significantly from the resources of the Broughton operation.
RASL also has the ability to manufacture parts to approved data in a designated workshop area and has its own design department which holds an MoD Design Approval as well as JAR-21 Design Approval. This approval is in addition to CAA/JAA (JAR-145), FAA (Foreign Repair Station), PCA of Saudi Arabia (Repair Station), Russian Department of Transport (Maintenance Organisation), Bermuda, Cayman, and Nigerian approvals. The facility holds full British Standards Institute ISO 9001 compliance (to TS-157).
NAC Aviation Limited
NAC Aviation Limited was established in 2002 as a UK subsidiary of National Airways Corporation, one of the preeminent general and business aviation support businesses in southern Africa and part of South Africa’s Imperial Group. National Airways Corporation (known as NAC) has been in the general aviation business since 1946. It has developed over the years into the largest company of its kind in South Africa, and one of the largest general aviation companies in Africa. As the sole distributor for the Raytheon Aircraft Company , NAC Aviation is responsible for the sales & marketing of all new and used Beechcraft and Hawker products ranging the single engine Bonanza, through the new Premier I entry level jet, to the super midsized Hawker Horizon.
NAC Aviation, recently won a bid to supply seven Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft, valued at US$30 million, to the Royal Air Force as part of the prestigious RAF Cranwell Multi-Activity Contract (MAC) and Multi-Engine Pilot Training Interim Solution (MIS) awarded to Serco Group plc. The move to Oxford Airport has allowed the company to grow allowing NAC to offer additional services such as aircraft management and hangarage.
Oxford Airport
‘Oxford Airport’ trades as a division of Oxford Aviation Services Limited, a subsidiary company ultimately owned by British-based BBA Group plc headquartered in London. The group’s companies are engaged in providing products and services to the aviation and industrial textile industries. BBA Aviation serves the world’s business aviation, regional airline, helicopter and commercial aviation markets through its primary operation companies and their subsidiaries, which include Dallas Airmotive; Aircraft Service International (ASIG); Signature Flight Support; Premier Turbines; International Turbine Services; APPH Group; H+S Aviation and Precision Avionics and Instruments amongst several other similarly oriented companies.
Oxford Airport in the last 12 months has a renewed focus on catering for the business aviation market following the move of much of its pilot training activity to fair weather bases overseas. Following a recent extension of the airfield’s licensed length, the mile long runway is now suitable for the majority of business aircraft types. A new business aviation terminal facility and service enhancements are planned for 2004.
For further Information contact:
Oxford Airport
James Dillon-Godfray - Head of Marketing & Development
Tel: 01865 290 710, Fax: 01865 290 605,
E-mail: jdg@oxfordairport.co.uk
NAC Aviation
Peter Griffith - Managing Director
Tel: 0870 205 2055, Fax: 0870 205 2057,
E-mail: pgriffith@nacaviation.com
Raytheon Aircraft Services
Howard Povey - Business Development Manager
Tel: 01244 523 778, Fax: 01244 523 021
E-mail: howard_povey@rac.ray.com
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